Filter.



E. ZAHM.

FILTER.

APPLICATION FILED MAB.. ZZ. 1911.

1,040,090. Patented Oct. 1, 1912.

4 SHBETSVSHBBT l.

E. ZAHM.

FILTER. APPLICATION FILED MAR. 22. 1911.

Patented Oct. 1, 1912.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

@Hom/1e E. ZAHM.

FILTER. APPLICATION FILED 1111.11.22, 1911.

1,040,090. Patented Oct. 1, 1912.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

we mfc@ MW @w E. ZAHM.

FILTER.

APPLICATION FILED MAR. 22. 1911. 1,040,090, Patented Oct. 1, 1912.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 4.

S1 N i N S QS. si

s mi@ Mull"y m I /X7 am i HIIIIIIIH" IVI i] TED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

EDWARD zum, oF BUFFALO, AssIGNonTo ZAHM MANUFAcTURI-Nefoom- 4rArrsLoF Burris-Lo, nnwomr; z x CORPORATION .0F NEW YORK..

mmm

Specincationcf Letters Patent.A

.'Patenteaoca 1, 1912.

Application meesturen 22, 119,11. .serial m. 16,231.

v hereof.

This invention has for its Aobject .the A,pro-

duction o fa filter which can he used l'successfully and satisfactorily forthe tiltration to sterility of beer, that is, Vfor-the -complete re- Imoval ofthe yeast cells andotherorganisms.4

-which Aremain inthe beerafter ordinary 'till trat-ion through a pulp .filter Iandimust be destroyed by pasteurization.

' I 1 .The invention will be more .fullyex-plained hereinafter with reference .to-,the accompany- `ing drawings in which -it .is illustrated as embodied in a convenientand.practical-form and in which- Fvure lisa. view of the improved filter -in-si e.elevat-ion,.a portionoffthe. roximate head being removed to show-deta1 s of conlstruction.- Fig. 2 is an `edge .View of :the filter withithe upper-part in section. .Fig..8

is a.detai1 view -in section, onsa larger scale,

of one `of the filter cores. Fig. 4 1s 4a view partly inelevation and partly' in vertical section of Vone .of the' regulators .shown in Figs. 1 and 2, but on a largerscale. Fig. ..5 is'a vertical section on .a .plane .at .right angles tothatof Fig. 4, the :plane of-ssection being indicated by the broken line 5-5 of Fig. 4. Figz-is va partial view in :horizontal section on the-planegindicated by the line 6-6of Fig. 5. Fig. 7fis-.a View in ver tical section of the other of the-tworegulef tors shown in Figs. ltand 2. 8 and 9 'are detail views in section of'themixershown in Figs. 1 and 2.

The improved filter is designed or use with filter-=material of infiisoriabearth, Epreared, for.. example, as described in Letters atent No. 665,925, dated January 15, .1901, and is so constructed as to provide .for -a .variation of pressure on the .inlet .side -of the filter, so as to. maintain the'.-pressure..notwithstandingyariationsA in flow .ofthe beer fto' the filter, yariations in the resistance-lof the'iiter as `1t becomes clogged and avariations inflow at the discharge ,end-ofthe mp paratus, while provision also made -forthe introduction :under Aproper conditions and' .uniform dist-ributlon on ,the surface of the f filter cores of .loose ltening .material which can beremoved :readily from -ltimeto :.timefso that the clogging vof the filter cores iis tre- ,tarded.

As shown -in thefdrawings, the. lter com.

.prises ashell Q-Iittedwith removable heads or lend plates 11? and b3, and provided `With @a 'fixed .transverse -wall -b whichaforrns within' prises a'rfilter tube d, formed -of'infusonial earth and closed abone end, while'the lother end -is .tightly secured .to la .'head c provided with-ahollowtem es .which is ;.passed through the wall erplate #,receiving on vthe discharge side .of .the plate, a nutcby which thefcolze is held tightly-inplace, suitable packing,

not necessary to .be shown, being provided to make a tight joint. 'Ehe'.beeriisdelivered to the {ilterfthrough a=pipe aa from apump a* or .any other suitable-sourcemf supply-under pressu-re, and 4lit-st lpasses through :the regulatord hereinafter-'described and thence, by :a ;p1pe.e, e., to 'fthe ,receiving :chamber b .of .fthe vfilter; Under suit-able pressure the beer -.is forced through the walls of the filter .cores .cinto zthe ,interior :thereof and thencethrough 'the I.hollow sternsca into the discharge chamber b?. From thelatter .it passes through .e .pipe e?, thence 'through a regulator l, also .described hereinafter, :and thence' through a pipe e, preferably prolvided lwith a 4stop cock.e -and 'a sight Vglass may -be .desired.

I ,The .accomplishment of filtratiomto sterility its possible only -Whcn-there sismo impe1ffection -n anyA .ofgthe Iceres and no tleakage around thefstems of the .cores (1r-through ,or around the Aplate b4. from the chamber t to .the .chamber b9. A'It .-is *therefore essentialthat it shall be possible to inspect the discharge-side of thegpllate b* and-'theoutletsof the cores whilethe .inlet chamber bassunder fpressure. ,-Accordingly, .the cores @are mounted on a fixed plate and :the-coverfb2 is removable .with respect thereto. Access being thus .had the outlets .of ,all .the acores may-'be pluggedto vtest. the plate andjoints e5 to the .bottling machineoraelsewhere as l In order to prevent around'the stems and thereafter the plugs may. be removed separately to test the flow' of each individual core.

gas which is .in solutionvin the beerbefore it passesthrough the filter, .it is necessary that a predetermined pressure, which may be varied somewhat according to conditions,`

. shall be maintained' on'thedischarge side of the lter. Such pressure mi ht be provided,

by the counter, .pressurein t e bottling mais preferably maintained by the regulator Z, hereinafter described, and 'in order that the pressure ontheinletside of the filterI vmay be -varied-as the-resistance of the filter Y varies, -either with an: increased or a de-` creased lowy of beerthrough the filter, or-

` with the cloggingf of the interstices of .the' lter, so that the necessary pressure on the dischargefmay be maintained, the iniiow of' b'eer to the filter" is: regulated by. the regu-7 As there ,show-m the A regulator comprises. a

shell d ,provided with an inlet il* to which i thepipe'- a."may be connected, and an outlet.

a Sprmsd The latter is secured to a yoke iytel 'which' da' to which the pipe e may be: @mhp-,tak-

Theoutlet d* has an' inward extension 'dt provided with a centrally disposed, downwardly o ning mouth or 'valve seat d.- Upper@ tothe shell d and serve to hold in place diaphragms als. and d. ,To-the'capdf 1 s cured a spring casing du invvhich is placed which acts upon a'plunger d.l

both 'diaphragmsl de and d are secured, and at its upper en d the yoke d1? -has a plunger al which is acted upon by a l spring d1,- in a spring casing d secured to theupper cap (1. An adjusting screw d, threadedinto l' the upper end of the spring casing 'd l, serves to adjust the pressure of the spring' d downwardly against the diaphragm d? and, through the yoke d, against thediaphragm dn: A branch ipe e?, connected to the discharge pipe rez, 1s also connected to the spring casin 1 0 so that the pressure on the discharge o the filter may act against the underside ofthe' dia hra d". The yoke (Z13 carries a valve p u -vvhich cooperates With (the valve d" o y the outlet er tension d It vwill now be seen that the pressure of the spring d and the fluid ressure exerted against the underside o the diaphragm cZf act to hold the valve plugd? against its' seat so as to prevent. the inflow o beer into the regulator 'and thence to the.

vsistan'ce 'of'. ressure on chine, or by any otherconvenient nc cans, but l I lower caps dand d" are secured -v the-central ehambenof lthe regulator, acting equally upon the diaphragms in opposite d1- i motions, hasno teridencyto vopen the valve. the disruption ofv the p The pressure,l therefore,"atlwhich the valve opens to-pernt the iiow -of beer to the lter,

-isj'de'termined by the adjusted pressure of the `spring' d, and the ressure onthe inlet side voffthe filter will er increased. as rethe lter increases, for if the 'the discharge, through increase of resistance inthe filter vfalls slightly, the 'valve will be opened-'wi er by the pressure of the springI d1". In this manner the pressure onthe discharge will/be maintained notwithstanding any' increase -in the .resistance of the filtem Ai vent cock dltmay applied to the capf Zr-to permit any liquid whichl may enter-19rbe condensedV within thechamber abovethe cap to be drawn oli from time totime-.z` Obviously the inlet and 'the outletfofthe-regulatomight be reversed withoutehange in. thefmode' of o eration.v flator d, the action. ofwhich is controlled byI the pressure on= the discharge. The con-` struction ofaregulator, suitable for the pursl pose, is shown in detailin Figs..- 4," 'andfty;

. As the'- flow of beer-at4 the bott o or llingj machine. or elsewhere may vary, it is desirable to provide' `means to prevent the .reduction-of onthe. discharge side ofthe filter w eneve'r-the'ow from the pipe e" tends-to exceedthe -maximumy capacity bi1 the-apparatus" Forthis purpose the reg- Y insertedl Vbetween the pipes je" and fe., The' construction of the regulatorfZ is ``substantiall 'the' same' as .that v'of the regulator "d, as. c early shown -in Fig. '7, lexcept that l the relative position `of the partsis' reversed, so 'that when the pressure .'of-thelbeerfin the ipe' e( tends to fall slightly, the valveov the regulator Z will "be closed 'artly so'that the pressure-will,

'be maintained substantially. As show-n in Fig; 7, theregulatorZ'comprises a shell' Z provided with an inlet Z2 to which the pipe e2 may be. connected and 'an outlet Zs to whichthe pipee'a may be connected. The inlet. Zz has -an inward extension Z rovided withy ahcentrally ydisposed .upward y opening mouth or valve' seat Z5. Up er and lowercaps Z and Z1 are secured to he shell Z and serve to hold in place diaphragms Za and Z9. o the capZ1 1s secured a spring casingZm 4in which is placed a s ring Z11 Iwhich acts upon a plunger Z. Tie latter issecured to a oke Z towhich both diaphraginsZs and 9 are secured, and at its upper end the., yoke Z has a plunger Z1* which 1s acted uponby a spring Zx5 in a spring .casmg Z" secured to theV u per cap. Z". An adjustin screw Z", three ed in the u per endjof t ejspring casing'Z, serv ,'to a just th`e pre ssure"of the ,spring Z1 downwardly `against the diaphra Z, and, through the yoke Z, against t e diaphragm Z9. 'A

ranchrpipe e?, connected to the main `dis charge pipe e, is also connected to the `spring casing Z1, so that the pressure on the iforce is exer Y the valve plug `Zla toward its seat, While the andere@ eine diaphragm r. They-ore Z1* carries a valve pl Z1? which'` coperaties` of the 'extension t with the valve seat y It' will now -be seen that the pressure of the spring Z and Athe Huid pressure exerted against'v the uudersideof the diaphragm Z act to hold the valveplug 218 away'from its seat, against the pressure of the spring Zw, so' as to permit the ovv-of beer through vthe regulator-away from the lter, and that by compressing the springl Z11i more or less, a te through t e yoke Z13 -to move pressureof the beer Within the central chamber of the regulator, acting equally upon the diaphragme in opposite directions, has no tendency to close the valve. rlhe pressure, therefore, at which the valve closes to prevent the iioW' of beer from the filter is determined by the adjusted pressure of the spring Z15 and any tendency of pressure in the pipes e2 and e against' the diaphragm Z9 to fall will permit the valve plug Z18 to be pressed toward its' seat by the sprin Z15. In this manner the' ressure on paratus. A vent cock Z1 may be appliedto` ,the cap Z7 tof permit any liquid which' 'may enter or be condensed in the chamber above the cap to be drawn olf from time to time.' A sight glass h provided with a vent cock JL', a pressure gage 7a2 and a shutoff 4cock IL, is connected to the highest point' of the supply or receiving chamber o, of the iilter, asshown clearl in Fig. 2, and a sight glass i, provided wit a vent cock 97, a'pressure gage 2'2 andv a shut-off cock is, is connected tothe lhighest point of the discharge "chamber b, as lalso shownin Vsaid ure. A source of gas under pressure, as indicated' by a pipe le .and a pressure reducing valve kf, may be connected to either or both of the chambers 6".-and'b through the shutroff cocks h3- and 53.'. A cocky @Fis preferably provided in the pipe as. y

lvIt is 'desirable-'as indicated herembefore,

Ato provide for Vthe introduption into the [filter of a.. uant'ity of.' loose lter-material to bedeposlted'un'iformly on the surfaces of the lilte'r cores c, kso that such loose lter material will collect and hold the greater part of the substances which are to be :liltered out/of the beer and may be removed from time to -time by simply Washing out the iilter, thereby permitting the cores to be used for a much longer time Without becoming clogged to such au extent as to require removal and cleaning. The devices provided for the introduction of such loose filter material are shown in Figs. 1, 2, 8 'and 9, and comprise a mixing-vesselm, in which the 'loose filter material may be mixed 'with a portion of the beer under suitable conditions, particularly 'without Vloss ofges in, the beer with which they lter meterial is lfilter, so 'that the loose filter material will be distributed uniformly over the surfaces of the filter cores.- ny. suitable l form of mixer' may be employed for theA purpose.

As shown in Fig's.- 8 and 9 it conslst'sl of' a cylindrical vesselin which is mounted a shaft m" 'prmrt'rded 4with'arms or paddles m2 and with a' handle m8 byfvvhic'h the loose filter materia-l, which is. introduced through a capped e eningm4, may be mixed with beer which 1s admitted to the vessel mi and thereafter forced into the filter. The vessel m is preferably provided with a sight glass' m5 and is 'connected at its bottom by a pipe m with the pipc'e, e through which the beer flows into the filter, the pipepm" preferablyhaving a sight glass m7' and a 'stop cock m8. At its top the vessel m is connected by a pipe fm with a source of ksupply of gas under pressure, being centhe discharge side of the filter W l be maintained, notwithstanding any dow from thepipo-e in excess .of the capacity of' the apel veniently connected for this purpose to the ,pipe k. 'After the .ilter chamber 1Z2 has been hlled with beer, the stop cock. mi is lopened to permit the vessel ml also to be "lilled with beer, the pet cock m1 being opened 'to permit the escape of the displaced gas under pressure.

The loose filterV material, which may be loose infusorial earth, having been previously introduced ,into the vessel m, `is agitated vviththef beer until a uniform mixture is obtained. `Gras under pressure above, that on the beer in the chamber jb is then admitted to the vessel m by manipulation of the regulator le and the coclrm3 is opened-'so that the mixture of beer and lter. material is discharged slowl from the vessel m' Vinto the lilter cham er Zthrough the ipesy m and e. As the operation of lfiltering is being carried on at this time and the beer is flowing constantly into the inlet chamber o", the loose filter material thusmixed with the beer is also carried slowly' :into the inlet chamber bb and. is deposited uniformly on the surface of the lter cones. When the resistance of the filter increases vundul the operation of the iiltcr may be discontinued, the head b3 removed and the loose iilter material, with the collected substances, Washed from' the iilter cores with a hose. The process of ltration rnay then be yresumed and fresh filter material added as before.

It will be understood that the shape and size of the filter and its several parts, as Well as the details of construction and arrangement may be'varied to suit different conditions of use and that the invention, therefore, is not restricted to 'the precise construction and arrangement shown and described herein.

the discharge side of the filter is varied as the resistance of the filter varies. A

2. The combination with a filter, of a regulator comprising a chamber having connected thereto the liquid inlet and the inlet side of the filter, a diaphragm subject to the pressure on the discharge'side of the filter,

. and a valve controlled by the diaphragm to regulate lthe pressure on the liquid delivered to the inlet side of the filter.

3. The combination of a filter comprising a casing, a transverse filter wall, an inlet chamber and a dischargel chamber, a regir' lator comprising a casing with an inlet connection and a connection to the inlet chamber of the filter, a valve to control the ressure of the liquid admitted to 'the inlet chamber of the filter anda diaphragm to controL said valve, and a connection4 from the discharge. chamber of the filter to the diaphragm chamber. Y

4. The combination with a-lter, of a regi ulator to regulate the escape of liquid from thevfilter, a connection from the discharge side of the ilte'r torthe regulator, a valve to control the (low of beer .through the regulator and means acted upon by the pressure of the discharge from the lilter to close the valve as the pressure tends to fall.4

5.- Thecombination with a filter, of'aregulator', comprising a chamber having a. connection therefrom to the discharge side of the filter and a connection therefroml to the discharge pipe, a diaphragm subject to the pressure on the discharge side of the filter, anda valve controlled by the diaphragm to regulate the flow of liquid through the regulator.

This specification signed vand witnessed this 18th day of March-AKD., 1911.

EDWARD ZAHM. Signed in the presence of- I-IENRY NEU, FRED M. HANDWERK. 

